Lotsa debates on the proposed Marine Reserve have been going on
Committee from different organisations have been bombarding the board on untrue facts
& I was pretty amused by what was going on
Although I was unable to attend any of those meetings
The most recent one was done last night at NSS
& was glad that I was very updated with the aftermath

I actually emailed JTC requesting to view the EIA (Environmental Impact Assessment) report on the reclamation of Pulau Ular last month
But work has been tying me down
& can never do so to head down to the office
I was abit... disappointed, yet feeling ridiculous about the whole thing

The EIA repport MUST be read on the spot
Cant take out of the office
& during office hours
Why so?

My interest in wanting to read it is that
I wanna see how EIA in SG differs that in HK
I'm always curious when comparisons are involved
Furthermore I'd done my EIA module before, scored A for the project
& I'm sure I can pick out flaws from it, if there's any
But
I dont see why it must be digested there

HK gave out EIA reports for free
Limited to one upon registration with individual's IC number
& the audience can just go home & digest slowly
& bring up points for discussion (or rather verbal wars) when a meeting is scheduled
Which I believe the panels will then consider these picked-out flaws to improve the situations
So why cant we?

Sad to say
HK has never improve any situations no matter how many discussions with the public had been made
Democratic issues being the primary refrains
Bringing back to my Fisheries issue I'd written last year
Govt & fishermen can never agree on each other

When the marine reserve proposal was out
& comments were invited
I hesitated to write in
Mainly I was told by Tom C that it wont even get published if I go too against/agruementative
& that it just WONT work even if I speak with all the logics & senses
& in the end
I didnt bother too
Coz it'll be a waste of effort since no one will take into considerations

What I wanted to write in is
How do they define 'Marine Reserve'?
They claimed that human activities can still go on when their main objective is to protect the habitat & its species
Meanwhile, earning extra 'profit' by increasing tourisms

This puzzles me
A Marine Reserve is a protected area where NO human activites are allowed
A Marine Park is an area where conservation still takes place with LIMITED human activities
How can you preserve a location, conserve the environment when you expect increase in tourisms that contributes to increased human activities?

VERY CHIM AH!

Taking the marine reserve of Cape D'aguilar & marine park of Hoi Ha Wan for example
Cape D'aguilar does not allow any human activities unless a permit is issued to the individuals
No fishing, no collecting of samples, blah blah
My marine institue is located there
& I'm NOT EVEN ALLOWED TO STEP BEYOND THE INTERTIDAL LEVEL TO OBSERVE MY STUPID CELLANA GRATA!
Bloody hell made me go to the exposed Shek O where waves came clashing on me
DUHZ!

Dr Andrew Cornish showed us his thesis on fish conservation between these 2 places
Number of fishes increases significantly in the reserve than in the park
Sizes are also significantly larger

Another point to add in
Hoi Ha Wan was deposited with AR (artifical reefs) to hopefully provide more habitats for the fishes, hoping to increase number of species
This, however, is insignificant

Bringing back these issues
What the newly Marine Reserve is to be built in Singapore might not work
Coz
It doesnt have a definite answer to what they want to do
Reserve or Park?
No human activites at all or increase tourisms?
When artifical reef proves no significance in the increase of species
Forget it

Now this Pulau Hantu thing is really getting interesting
Proving how noobs these people are 'trying' to conserve
when their objectives & information of baseline surveys are doubtful

HELLO HELLO?
YOUR EIA PLEASE!
DO AN EIA FIRST BEFORE DISCUSSION WITH PUBLIC!
SPREAD THE EIA AROUND WHOLE SINGAPORE, MALAYSIA & EVEN BATAM!
WHAT IS SO SHAMEFUL TO LET EVERYONE KNOW?
WHEN YOU REQUEST FOR INPUTS, MAKE IT A 17 MILLION (SG got so many people mah?) INPUTS INSTEAD OF A PATHETIC 50!
WHEN BRAZIL CAN MAKE IT, WHY CANT SINGAPORE DO IT TOO WHEN IT'S JUST A DOT ON THE MAP?

Wake up, people
& it's embarassing enough to mistake Anand Sundaram Balan for N. Sivasothi

BWHAHAHAAHHAAHAHAHAHAHAH